The Mitten

Where can I find this book? Wegivebooks.com (account needed, but free)  Book level? AR 3.9, 800L

Summary:
Nicki's grandmother knits her a beautiful pair of snow white mittens. When walking through the woods, she loses one in the snow. This mitten is discovered by countless woodland animals as they attempt to squeeze into the warm mitten. Until an animal sneezes, and they are all thrown out in the snow.

STEM Challenges:
- engineer a way to keep Nicki from losing her mitten
- build a mitten that can hold plastic animals without ripping
- build a mitten that is "snow proof"
- math challenge: give graph paper in the shape of a mitten, animals have to take up a certain area, how many animals could fit,  assign a value to each animal, etc.
- give them a certain amount of string and they need to figure out how to make it so it will cover a hand

What materials could be used?
 - recyclables, craft, clay
- string or yarn
- various fabrics/papers
- graph paper

Other books/resources to supplement lesson:
- Snowy Day
- bring in a variety of mittens
- animal books or videos for size comparison

Standards/Skills:
- area
- properties of materials
- weather/water cycle

Grade levels appropriate for this lesson: K-5